Hair loss, known in medical terms as alopecia, refers to the thinning of hair and can either be permanent or temporary. Androgenetic Alopecia, hair loss attributed to genetics and male hormones, is one of the most common types of hair loss. Alopecia areata is also another common type of hair loss and usually involves the occurrence bald patches that eventually grow back. 

Causes of Hair Loss
There are several things that cause the excessive loss of hair. Some of the most common are:

• Hormonal problems includes post pregnancy

An imbalance in hormonal levels caused by thyroid diseases can cause hair loss. Androgens and estrogen, commonly known as the male and female hormones, when out of balance, can cause the loss of an excessive amount of hair. This can be treated by correcting the hormonal imbalance.
Women also lose more than the usual amount of hair after giving birth. This is also due to the change in hormonal levels brought about by child birth. This type of hair loss will immediately stop once hormone levels get back to normal.

• Reaction to medication

Blood thinners, gout medication, excessive consumption of Vitamin A, anti depressants, birth control pills, and medication for use in chemotherapy can cause excessive hair loss. Stopping the use of the aforementioned medication can alleviate the loss of hair.

• Infections

Hair loss in children can be caused by Infections such as those caused by fungus on the scalp. This kind of hair loss is not permanent and can be addressed with the use of antifungal medication.

• Illness

The loss of hair is sometimes a symptom of more complicated and dangerous diseases such as diabetes or lupus.

• Stress

Some people lose hair after undergoing major illnesses and surgeries. This hair loss is temporary and can be attributed to the stress of the illness and recovery.

• Improper Hair Care

Wearing hair in tight rollers or cornrows and pulling too much on the hair can also cause a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. The use of chemicals for hair treatments may also contribute to excessive loss of hair.

Hair Loss Treatment

Varying types of treatments are available for certain types of hair loss.

• If hair loss is caused by the intake of certain types of medication, using a different kind of drug may stop the hair loss.
• Correcting hormonal imbalance can stop further loss of hair due to an imbalance in hormone levels.
• If the loss of hair is caused by an infection, recognizing and treating the said infection can stop further loss of hair.
• The use of medication such as minoxidil can also help in preventing the development of baldness. Minoxidil works for both men and women and is available without a prescription.
• Finasteride is another type of available treatment medication for baldness. Available through a prescription, finasteride comes in pills and may only be used by men.